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Two linguistic groups’ tussle for Madras
After the British rule came to an end, two dominant linguistic groups — Tamils and Telugus — wanted Madras for their own States. While the Telugus wanted to make the city the capital for the soon-to-be-formed Andhra State, the Tamils wanted it to remain the administrative HQ of Madras State
Partition’s outcome: While Andhra State was carved out of Madras State by October 1953, with Kurnool as capital, Madras succeeded in retaining its capital and Tirupati went to Andhra State.
| Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES
Madras has always been the centre of the political and cultural spheres, and a melting pot of various languages and different communities. Not entirely or always co-existing though, as there have been a fair share of flare-ups. Here is an account of one of those instances.
After the British rule came to an end, Madras faced a new struggle as two dominant linguistic groups — Tamils and Telugus — fought to own Madras. What transpired thereafter still holds significance in shaping Madras or Chennai of today. A walk down the lanes of early history of Madras reveals the connection of Telugu-speaking citizens and their prominence in the political and economic scenarios. Once the British Era ended, the reorganisation of States on linguistic lines sparked fresh tension between these groups in the Madras State.
Though the demand for a separate province carved out of the Madras Presidency to form Andhra was said to have been voiced out since 1913, the agitations only gained momentum in the 1940s and 1950s.
‘Madras Manade’ (Madras is ours) was the slogan coined by the Telugus who wanted Madras as the capital for Andhra Pradesh. What followed were numerous meetings, demonstrations, and strikes in the city. Some of the leaders at the forefront of this movement were Tanguturi Prakasam (who later became the first Chief Minister of Andhra State), Bulusu Sambamurti, B. Gopala Reddy, Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (first Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra State who went on to become the President of India), and Tenneti Viswanatham.
Madras then had a sizeable Telugu population and the Madras Presidency had its territory stretching from Orissa to Kanniyakumari. Many of the legislators who held powerful positions in the government and political parties such as the Justice Party and the Congress were Telugu speakers. The 1937 Sribagh Pact was signed for a separate Andhra province with coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, says historian V. Sriram.
Post-Independence push
While the demands for Madras as a capital city were voiced intermittently, it became more prominent post-Independence. Tracing the political history of Madras then, Mr. Sriram explains that the factional politics in the Congress and the fall of Prakasam from power in 1947 had intensified the demand for a new Andhra province.
In its extensive coverage then, The Hindu has reported on meetings and resolutions on claims over Madras. In a report published on January 12, 1948, about a public meeting held in the city, there were mentions of Prakasam moving a resolution urging Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to order the separation of Andhra province with its headquarters at Madras from February 1, 1948, and appoint a boundary commission.
The city was close to being divided with the Cooum at the centre, with the northern part to be allocated to Andhra. On September 30, 1949, The Hindu reported that the then Deputy Speaker of Parliament M. Ananthasayanam Iyengar’s suggestion to create two provinces — North Madras and South Madras with the Cooum as the boundary line. “South Madras will include Mangalore and Malabar,” he said then.
In the book Chennai Not Madras: Perspectives on the City, historian A.R. Venkatachalapathy recalls the bone of contention for a province and how Chennai remained with Tamil Nadu in a chapter titled Madras Manade. On the recommendations of a commission headed by S.K. Dar, appointed in June 1948, he writes, “The commission recommended reorganisation not on linguistic consideration but rather upon administrative convenience.”
The Congress, in its Jaipur session in December 1948, appointed a Linguistic Provinces Committee Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya (the JVP committee). “In November 1949, the Congress Working Committee recommended Andhra State to be formed but without Madras city,” Mr. Venkatachalapathy writes.
Death of Potti Sriramulu
The demand was further fuelled and seeds of unrest were sown after the fast of freedom fighter and Gandhian Potti Sriramulu, who met a tragic end in December 1952. This led to large-scale violence in Andhra, especially in Nellore, he adds.
Mr. Sriram recalls a parallel slogan, ‘Madras Namade’, (Madras is ours) launched by Tamil patriot and scholar Ma. Po. Sivagnanam (Ma. Po. Si.) through his Tamil Arasu Kazhagam. To retain Madras as the Tamil capital, Ma. Po. Si. organised rallies and protests with the Tamil slogan ‘Thalai Koduthenum Thalainagar Kaapom’ translated as ‘We will save the capital by parting with our heads’ and ‘Vengadathai Vidamattom’ (We will not give up Tirupati).
In his book, Mr. Venkatachalapathy says the government of India had appointed a committee under K.N. Wanchoo “that unequivocally favoured the creation of the Andhra State but equally recommended that Madras should not be included.” Rajaji had stoutly opposed the idea of Madras as the temporary capital of Andhra then.
While Andhra was carved out of Madras State by October 1953, with Kurnool as capital, Madras succeeded in retaining its capital and Tirupati went to Andhra. However, the issue of border demarcation was unsettled till 1957, until the H.V. Pataskar Committee recommended Tiruttani to be transferred to Tamil Nadu. The Telugu film industry and its stars moving to Hyderabad from Madras in 1970s marked the finale.
Landmarks and memories
Chennai still houses some of the memories of the struggle in the city. Besides roads named after leaders, including Prakasam, the city upholds their memories through a statue for Prakasam on Esplanade Road and public places such as Nageswara Rao Park.
The city is home to the Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu Memorial Society, which was founded in December 1952 after a meeting held in George Town, in memory of the Gandhian. It operated out of 126, Royapettah High Road, a house owned by Bulusu Sambamurti, where Sriramulu undertook his hunger strike.
Sarojini Premchand, executive member of the society, recalls that the society, initially named Potti Sriramulu Mission was inaugurated by Prakasam and later came under the control of the Andhra Pradesh government. “The society has a library and organised various literary programmes and Telugu contests for children. We are looking for better patronage to keep our Telugu roots alive in Chennai,” she says.
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